East Lancashire pub wins Pub of the Year award

A RAMSBOTTOM pub has pulled in two awards for its food and its work within the community.

The Eagle and Child, in Whalley Road, won the Pub of the Year and Best Pub Dining awards at the Thwaites Awards for Excellence.

The competition recognises success in pubs across the brewery’s estate, and the Eagle and Child beat off competition from more than 300 other pubs.

The judges commended owner Glen Duckett and his team for their menu, customer service and the way they work in the area.

The pub is run as a social enterprise, offering young people who are not in education or training the chance to get into employment with work experience and qualifications.

Mr Duckett, 35, said: “We’re elated to win not one, but two awards especially the overall winner’s title of Pub of the Year.

“It’s great to know that our holistic business model has been acknowledged.

“We took a boarded-up pub and developed the social enterprise model, supporting and training more than 20 disadvantaged people since 2011, with 80 per cent of those progressing into employment, education or further training.”

Mr Duckett and the team won an engraved trophy, a framed certificate and a five star VIP trip for two to Barcelona, which was presented to them at an awards ceremony at the Cottons Hotel in Knutsford, Cheshire.

Mr Duckett added: “The win demonstrates that it’s possible to run a successful food-led establishment whilst giving something back to the community and addressing youth unemployment issues.

“We hope to inspire other businesses to put more into supporting young people, especially the vulnerable and disadvantaged.”

Andrew Buchanan, director of pub operations at Thwaites, said: “Glen and his team work tirelessly to ensure they deliver an exceptional standard of service and that the pub maintains its reputation for great tasting, good quality dining.

Share article

“The training and support his pub gives to youngsters in the area is absolutely commendable.

“The Eagle and Child was the stand-out choice for Thwaites’ Pub of the Year.”

Ipsoregulated

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standardards Organisations's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a compaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here